A Dancing Democracy Is A Distortion and Destruction of India

Our Indian democracy is the seventh largest in the world. It is well known among other nations due to its diversity and plurality which enhances its inner richness. India is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. This democratic principle of any nation defines its nature and rights to its citizens. Every citizen is supposed to enjoy all its privileges by the very fact of being an Indian citizen. There are various forces, seen and unseen, that threatens the stability of our Indian Democracy. They can be enumerated as the caste system, poverty, corruption in all sectors, women degradation, economic crisis and oppression, the list goes on and on.

India was stunned when Emergency of 1975-1977 was declared by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon the advice of the then Prime Minister. As PM, Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution of India.[1] It was a catastrophe in the history of Indian politics and democracy. I would dare to say even today we are faring no better than what our nation had witnessed in its earlier journeys. I would say India is marching to a state where people higher in rank intellectuals, rationalists and socialists maintain silence in the face of saffron fundamentalism, inequality in the education system, economical oppression of the elite classes, etc.

We are a sovereign nation yet there is no privacy and freedom for its citizens. We are a socialist country yet most of the all the polices and systems framed appear to oppress and destroy the talents of its citizens. Anitha, a Dalit student of the State Board, approached the Supreme Court asking for redress against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admission into the MBBS. Her request was turned down and she was forced to commit suicide. She had scored 1,176 marks out of 1,200 in her Higher Secondary Exams under the Tamil Nadu State Board. However, she secured only 86 marks in the NEET. Thus, she was denied a seat for admission into the MBBS. Is not this a violation of the democratic principle of a socialist country? We are listed as a secular country but, in India, with the recent trend in the political arena and the administrative circle, there seems to be no line drawn between religion and state which cuts off all fundamental democratic principles that strongly asserts India as secular state. The recent attacks on Dalits and minorities in name of Ghar Wapsi,Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal, attacks on minorities’ institutions and holy places, depriving livelihood to poor famers, etc. are blaring realities…Are we still saying that India is a secular country? Do we call it a democratic nation wherein people elect their leader but, after the election, the leaders and their party work tirelessly for the multinational companies and the Corporates who fund their political parties directly or indirectly, leaving the common citizen to grovel in the dust in utter poverty and unemployment that leads to a premature death. Are we still a democratic nation? A Republic State is where the President is elected indirectly by the people but, in the current political scenario, it is a mere eye wash and a game played by political parties. Can democracy in India survive? Yes, if only and only if all citizens of India unite beyond all boundaries of caste, creed and language, in order to overthrow the existing chaos in our country. Let us stay awake, stay connected and stay free.